No sign of ill effects from gold mining on Tawau villagers, says Health Dept

KOTA KINABALU: Gold mining activities in Tawau have not caused any poisoning contrary to claims by some quarters, says the Sabah Health Department.

Its director Datuk Dr Asits Sanna said a probe conducted following reports of villagers falling ill due to alleged toxin inhalation near the Bukit Mantri mining site found this claim untrue.

"All clinics and health facilities in Tawau have not reported treating any cases of sodium cyanide poisoning," he said when contacted on Thursday (Dec 21).

"Inspections at the villages including Kg Cocos Balung near the mining site also found that no one has signs of such poisoning from toxic waste inhalation," he said.

ALSO READ: Tawau villagers blame mining ops for sickness

In a statement responding to the claims, Dr Asits said the Environment Protection Department of Sabah (EPD Sabah) had confirmed that gold mining activities were being legally carried out at the area following an environmental impact assessment.

"The use of cyanide to extract gold is being done in a closed and secure manner, as per standard operating procedures," he said.

He added that follow-up action from the Tawau Health Department as well as EPD Sabah also found no traces of negative implications from gold mining in nearby areas.

"Cyanide pollution can cause water and air pollution and can have negative health implications for exposed individuals," Dr Asits said.

"(Someone who) has toxin inhalation ... could suffer from confusion, change of attitude, be overly sleepy, feel like being suffocated, have headaches, vomiting, dizziness, stomach pains and may even collapse," he said.

He urged anyone with such symptoms to seek medical attention immediately.

Dr Asits said health officials will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates.

Recently, some villagers in Kg Balung where the mining is being done claimed to have fallen ill with symptoms that included vomiting.

They told a local news portal that they suspect this was caused by inhaling sodium cyanide from the mining activity and called for operations to cease until a probe is carried out.

In the state assembly sitting in November, Merotai assemblyman Sarifuddin Hata had called for the shutting down of the mining operation, claiming it to be illegal.

He alleged that there was no new approval from the Malaysian Mineral and Geoscience Department for mining operations after the earlier approval expired on Oct 31.

Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Abidin Madingkir later reiterated that the state government found the mining activities had fulfilled all regulatory conditions.